Thursday, June 3, 2010

To believe or not to believe?

***ETA: Contest winner chosen by Randomizer was Lyndsey-Jane , who said, "I would prefer to know that they 100% did NOT exist, as with my health/mobility issues I'd make an easy meal."

Lol, I think we all would be easy meals if paranormal creatures existed ;). Lyndsey-Jane, email me at frostlight1 AT yahoo DOT com with your shipping address! ****

Hi everyone! Thanks for coming out for my first post on Supernatural Underground. For my topic, I'll be chatting about beliefs. No, you don't need to back away - there'll be no preaching from me ;-). But one of the things I get asked a lot as a vampire writer is, do you believe vampires exist? My standard response is that I haven’t seen anything to believe they do, but I’d never say never to the possibility. Is that a cop-out? Maybe, but just because I’ve never seen anything supernaturally strange in my life doesn’t mean I’ve slammed the door on the possibility that it might exist. Hey, I watch Ghost Hunters, and occasionally there are some weird things caught on tape or audio. Does that prove ghosts exist? I can’t say. There’s a big “what if” factor to the paranormal, and it plays both ways. What if the hazy thing on the video is just a trick of the light, instead of an apparition trying to manifest itself? Or what if that voice on the recorder was picked up from crossing signals with another TV or radio station, instead of a spirit trying to communicate?

So, I’m open to the idea that vampires, werewolves, zombies, or other creatures might exist – and that all the legends about them are nothing more than the imaginings of our ancestors, or the playing out of cultural taboos in monster form. I don’t need a solid belief in the paranormal to write about it. I do it because it’s fun to imagine answers to the “what if” factor it represents for me. Before I wrote about vampires, for instance, I loved to read about them, and I still watch almost every new vampire movie that comes out.

I also think because the paranormal can’t be completely proved or disproved (to my satisfaction, anyway) that it enhances its appeal in fiction. If it was possible to slam the door shut – no room for possibilities – that creatures such as vampires, or werewolves, zombies, etc., never existed, then it might dampen some of my enjoyment of them in fiction. The “what if” factor allows my imagination to delve deeper into the paranormal world I write about, whereas the proof that our world truly has never and will never contain anything beyond what we now know would hinder that free reign of ideas for me.

However, the opposite scenario might be even more detrimental to my love of the paranormal. If it were possible to prove, beyond a shadow of scientific doubt, that vampires or other supernatural creatures really did exist, I’m not sure I would keep writing about the paranormal. After all, *wink* I might hesitate to begin another vampire novel if I knew a real vampire might read it one day – and perhaps do more than voice their disapproval of the way I represented his or her kind, heh.

But what about you? If you had the choice, would you want it 100% proved that paranormal creatures did NOT exist? (so you’d never have to worry about whether the person sitting next to you might morph into a werewolf on the full moon, for example ;). Or would you want it 100% proved that paranormal creatures DID exist? (which would mean you’d have to be careful about people who needed to be “invited” into your house before they could enter! ;) Which would you prefer, and why? Everyone who tells me their preference in the comments will be entered to win a signed copy of FIRST DROP OF CRIMSON, which contains vampires, ghosts, and demons, among other paranormal elements. Contest is open now and closes at at 11:59PM tonight, June 4th, EST. Winner will be drawn by Randomizer and announced on the blog. Contest open to US and international readers.

I would definitely- 100%- want it proven that they DID exist! I like thinking that there's the possibility of true 'otherness' living around us -- which I'm sure exists in one way, shape, or form! No pun intended! :P

Deep, deep, deep down in my heart I don't think such things exist, which is sad, so I don't go there . It is the scientist in me. But, if it could be proven, I wouldn't want to know. It is the fear of the unknown that makes good reading.

I'd definitely want it to be proven 100% that they did exist. The history lessons & wisdom vampires especially could share with us would be amazing! It would also make this world even more diverse and exciting.

As for fears, there are already so many things to fear from other humans, adding dangers from supernatural creatures really wouldn't be that big of a deal me. Like with humans, I imagine there would be good supes & bad supes. And I'd probably still be more likely to be shot by a fellow human than be harmed by a supe.

I think there is a hell of a lot we don't know or understand and there is no reason at all to declare that something doesn't exist just because we haven't seen it or because we can't believe that it's possible. When I was nursing I worked with a guy who believed he was a werewolf and he did attack and attempt to eat a woman in the street, I've also met countless vampires (and one or two vamps) who enjoy consuming blood. I won't be around long enough to know if any of them are long lived.I think I've met some sort of 'death' spirit too, it was beckoning me and inviting me to come towards it but I knew that if I went I would be dead so i stayed put and I'm still here. What more proof do you need ;)Sorry i'm rabbiting on, I'll go away now :)

I wouldn't won't to know 100% that they don't exist. I'd rather be able to think "anything is possible." Even though I don't believe in them, that little part in the back of my mind that is still afraid of something lurking in the dark keeps me guessing and I wouldn't want it to go away.

100% i would want the paranormal world to be real! I love this genre of books, but it would be extremely exciting if they weren't just creatures of fiction and actually a reality (all be it slightly scary!)

There are so many strange things out there in the world, who's to say vampires, werewolves,etc don't exist. We could be like the humans in Vampire Academy and just not know about the secret world of paranormal. I keep an open mind on those types of things. And guardian angels. I'm not a religious person, but I definately believe in them.

I have always been a fan of the mysterious aspect of supernatural beings. There are numerous legends and ideas out there about the supernatural world. I love hearing different concepts and new twists on supernatural tales. However, if I had to choose I would rather it were proven true. Having the mysteries proven completely false would remove the magic from the world and from life.

I personally believe in pretty much all the supernatural it would be awesome if someone could finally prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. I think mostly so that people will stop looking at me like I'm insane :)

Can I hope they exist but wish not to know about it? I think the mystery of are there/aren't there is what makes the supernatural so intriguing. If they were proven to exist then after a while it would just become mundane.

It might be kind of tough to prove that something doesn't exist. Huh. I'd like to say I'd like some kind of supernatural to exist, but it would depend on their 'rules.' Like would shapeshifters be everyday people with the ability to transform and stay sentient, or randomly turn into slobbering beasts? So I guess my short answer is no...I'm such a wuss.

I already have a signed copy of the book ::ducks to avoid flying debris:: so please don't enter me, but I couldn't help answer. I definitely do *not* want it proved either way! I love the thrill of "what if". It makes people watching *so* much fun! The strange man in the corner could be a demon in hiding...the wild woman at the bar a sexy seductress...the mysterious man with the killer smile could be a shapeshifter or even a vamp waiting to lure me into a dark alley...::sigh:: Soo many possibilities. : )

Honestly - I would love it if it was proven they did exsist. I have so much fun getting 'lost' in the books, my husband teases me they are my version of a drug addiction. I would have to start seriously working out though to be the kick-ass woman I'd need to be to keep those lovely and dangerous men in check! :o) I absolutely love your writing Jeaniene! Thank you so much.Connie Hendrickson

I'm on the side of if there are no such things, then where did all the stories come from? Faeries, vampires, werewolves - they've been around for centuries... So I like to believe they are out there. I just wouldn't want it on the 5:00 news or anything. I like it to be my fantasy world, my escape from reality when I read... And I like all the different authors' takes on the different beings. If they were proven 100% - our imaginations would be limited. And how boring would that be? :)

I prefer the unknown, the pure fantasy of it all - but if i HAD to choose, i'd rather that they DID exist (especially if they exist as written by all my favorite authors - then maybe i could meet up with Vlad *sigh*) Seriously, I'd hate for the paranormal "what-ifs" to be disproven. The possibilities of what could be push us further, make us want to answer those questions, and in turn keep us growing,learning, and creating... what are without that? I've never liked definitive answers...i like possibilities, they're MUCH more fun!

Hmm...I wouls say 100 percent would not like to know. If they do things are fine with everyone not knowing they are out there.I could not imagine a life where you are out and trying to guess if that person standing next to you is a supernatural creature. I would be too busy trying to track down vamps!LOL!Awesome topic Mrs.Frost!

Hmm good question. It would be great if 100% they did exist but only if they couldn't KILL anyone. Life would be much for fun with interesting yet sexy vampires that couldn't actually kill you -- I'm thinking me and Eric (charlaine harris)could really make a lovely couple ; )Great conversation starter for a party I'm thinking -- will have to try it out at next girls night out

I don't know, on one hand I would like to know if there are supernatural beings out there but on the other I don't really want to know because some of the supernatural beings are scary.

But what's to say that these siad supernatural beings actually do what all the myths say they do, i.e. drink blood, change into wolves, perform magic etc. We won't know any of this until supernatural beings are proved to exist, then we can find out if our myths and legends are true or if they were just all bogus and made up by overactive imaginations.

We have no proof that vamps, werewolves etc exist but we don't have proof that they don't exist either.

Anyways, enough rambling, I think I would want them to be prooved 100% real. How cool would it be to have a vampire or a werewolf for a friend :)

Actually, I am in a gray area...I don't think I want it 100% proved that paranormal creatures do NOT exist... but... if 100% proved that paranormal creatures DID exist; then... if something paranormal was suddenly normal... then there would still be something "other" out there. That is my thought on the nature of reality.Many authors have addressed this obliquely... in their reality maybe the fae have come out and the shifters consider it / are next (Briggs), or the vamps are out but the fae are not, etc.I like the idea of some existing more than others.No matter what is "normal"... There will always be wonders and the wonderous.

Personally, I like the way things are, but if I had to choose, I'd rather have it proven 100% that they don't exist. Vamps and weres, especially as presented in the older legends, aren't exactly nice folk.

Besides which, if vampires and werewolves were proven to exist, then we'd also know exactly what rules did and didn't work with them, and one of my favorite things about vampire/werewolf fiction is how every author has their own take on the myth.

Oh I want it 100% proved that they are real. I haven't seen one myself but I love to read and fantasize about them. It would not bother me at all if they were real as a matter of fact it might just be the opposite. Hey a girl can dream that her Bones is out there somewhere right?? Ya just don't tell my hubby..lol

I think that I would want to know that they 100% DO exist. There is so much mythology and stories (not just novels, but ideas passed through word-of-mouth, and even media) that I might still be a bit paranoid if it was proven that they 100% don't exist.

I'm not sure that I would be able to fully believe the non-possibility over the maybe... if that makes sense.

(Don't enter me in the contest, since I have all of your books. *snort*)

I don't believe they are real-- as far as vamps, were etc. BUT I don't really want it proven to me. The reason I love the supernatural is it gives me an outlet from daily life where the bad guys get away with stuff. Wouldn't it be great to just dust evil? Fighting back would be awesome:) Sure, we fight back with laws and police but it's not the same. I remember the first time I watched Buffy thinking "OMG, if only I'd had super strength is high school!" LOL

I'd love it to be proved that vampires, and / or other supernatural creatures, DID exist :D ... I think it would make the world a far more interesting place ... although - UF and PNR books might lose their appeal if they weren't an escape from the real world anymore, and then I'd have no idea what to do with my spare time!

If I couldn't have it my way, I'd rather live in the happy ignorance of my imagination ... these types of books would definitely not be as appealing if there was 100% proof that all the interesting creatures did NOT exist!

You make a good point about what would happen if vampires did exist, and read your books ... LOL ... that could get bloody :o (BBBUT they'd probably have far more to say about certain other SPARKLY vampire characters, ahem :P)

P.S. You are an awesome author! I've read so many books in the genre in the past year or so, but your Night Huntress series is still one of my absolute favourites! (and First Drop of Crimson was great! <3 Spade, hehe!)

I was talking about this with my 10 year old niece XD she asked me if I wanted them (vampires) to be real. As much as I love them in books, I don't think I would want them in real life. Fantasy is a much more controlled environment, where if something disturbs me I could just close the book or turn the page. If vampires, ghost, zombies, fairies existed, we wouldn't be able to skip the bad things they would be far more capable of carrying out than humans. We have a hard time keeping our own kind in check, why would we want to deal with the supernatural?

Hi Jeaniene: Please don't enter me in the contest, I just wanted to comment! (surprised?)

I have not seen evidence that the supes exist either. But, I do believe in ghosts, and I do believe there are creatures who hide their existence. Does that mean vampires, ghouls, demons, etc?Maybe. I would love to know if they existed. I understand for you as an author, that knowledge might crimp your creativity, but, you have so many positive examples in your stories that would have to tip the scales in your favor. At least regarding you being a snack for someone! The bottom line for me is, I think it's simply not feasible to believe that what we know of in our little world is all there is. We are a fleabite in the universe. There simply has to be more. So, I vote yes I believe, and yes I want to know.

I would rather know 100% that the DO exist. I can't decide if I'd really want to know if they didn't, because where is the fun in that? I'd say no, if they didn't truly exist, I wouldn't want to know that way I could still keep my fantasy alive. I'd rather know they were real and take extra caution than to know they weren't real and have all source of fantastical imagination cease. So, after a long paragraph, I say again. Yes, I'd want it proven they DO exist.

I believe there's a lot more to this world than we understand. A century and a half ago we didn't know germs existed. Who knows what else is here that science has yet to 'discover'? I love the possibilities. Good blog, Jeaniene!

I think it would be cool to know that there are beings out there that have super powers, senses, abilities beyond the norm. It would make more possibilities seem plausible and ideas not as outlandish as once believed.

I would have to say that I prefer to know, after all if I invited them to dinner I would have to know what to serve, preferably not me :) In all seriousness I utterly believe in the paranormal. To not be open to it would be denying the possibilities of something awesome. Whilst I admit it wouldnt be all sunshine and roses if a vampire lived Next door, it would be no different to living next door to a man that abuses his wife and sucks the life out of her that way.Anyways thats my 2 cents :)

I think the background mythology is very important in whether or not to believe in the characters in a book. For example, Lara Adrian writes of a breed of vampires that crashlanded on earth millenia ago and evolved through inter-breeding with the population - that "could" be believable in fact, could it not?

i do not know,not knowing for me leaves a little excitment to it. to be able to read the books with the "what if's" in your head. it is fun, and pretty cool. i love to read paranormal (vampires) books, and i like to go back and forth in my head while i'm reading, about the "what if's".

I feel the same way you do--I haven't seen anything that convinces me either way that vampires, etc., exist...or don't.

And with the number of different legends and myths about vampires throughout different cultures and history, I tend to lean toward the belief that there has to be *some* reason for it being so widespread a belief.

I don't think I'd want to know for sure either way, however. It's more fun to just pretend.

I would want them to exist. I think it would be awesome to learn something new about them, for writers to be able to write more accurate stories about them, or even better would be if they wrote their own stories about their existence so we would learn first hand about their lives.

I do believe that there are things in this world that we are not meant to know about and I would like to keep it that way because the fun of reading about the "what if" makes it exciting if I knew for sure they were real I doubt I would love the books so much!

My first choice would be that they did actually exist, but that their existence was not "proven". This leaves more to the imagination. Of the two choices given, however, I would prefer to know that they did exist. Imagine the whole new world that would be open to us then! Just call me "Sookie"!

I don't need to be entered into the contest because I already have my copy of First Drop of Crimson. But yeah, since I'm a big wuss, I think I'd want to know that paranormal creatures did not exist. Even though I love the fantasy, for it to be real would just be a little too scary.

When I was too young to be reading Salem's Lot, I read it anyway and *really* believed in vampires. So much so that I had to sleep with my mother. But then I still couldn't sleep... what if *she* was a vampire, too, and sat up and hissed at me with red eyes and fangs...

So if you'd asked me then, I'd have said *Please Tell Me They're Not Real!*

But now, half the fun of reading is the shivery possibility that late at night, when we put away the day's reality, there may be something creeping through the dark other than the neighbor's cat. :-)

Having it all be real sounds like it'd be really awesome, but in reality, it'd be really scary. all the supernatural creatures are suppose to be, well, super. they move faster are stronger and sometimes smarter. we'd all be lunchmeat if they were real. vampires would probably take over the world (lol!) as humans, we'd have to be so very careful about who we trust around us. (but this is all assuming the supernatural creatures would be big meanies! and if they weren't, let's face it, vampires would still be a threat if they got hungry)So I'm gonna go for knowing they weren't real because the real world has enough baddies to deal with and adding supernatural to it would just cause world panic. (personally i like wondering what if. i did have a co-worker for the longest time i never saw ate and my imagination went WILD! and then he ate and my imagination went, awww =( lol)

I would have to agree, I would like 100% solid proof they did NOT exist, but I would still love to read about them.I am a fence sitter on this, I mean, these things have SOME basis in fact, even if it is mythology!

I am one of those people that believe anything is possible. Just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Have I ever seen a million dollars? No, but it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I love the idea of unknown possibilities and the paranormal. I truly hope there is more to this universe then just us humans, but we may never know. Until then we only have our imaginations and our authors to create a world of fantasy that we only wish truly exists.

The possibility that supernatural creatures exist fuel everyone's imagination - just look at how many reality TV shows there are out there now that entertain that scenario - they're searching for them, showing people mimicking lifestyles (vampirism) and many mythologies or beliefs revolve around the fact they once/continue to exist ie.exorcisms in Christianity.

So, I'm all for the idea they exist, I just don't want to know for sure as I think that spoils the anticipation. :-)

Whether or not they exist in the ways we imagine them, I've always had the feeling there was a piece of truth at the origins of all fantastical beasts and myths and legends...Maybe we can explain it away today, but what would our explanations have been like a century or two ago? I wouldn't mind knowing the truth/origin...because whichever way it went, I believe that every answer leads us to more questions...more mysteries worth exploring

Wow, that is a really hard question. I almost would have to say that I don't want to know for sure. For one if nothing supernatural exists, well that would kinda be a disappointment because it is always nice to believe in the unbelievable. However, on the opposite side of the spectrum, if they do exist I highly doubt things would be as nice as they are in the books. Most things would probably not be the "fairytale" version from the books but truly dangerous monsters. Otherwise, why hide all this time? But then again, humanity as a whole is not very accepting of difference, and if the supernatural came out of the "closet" I fear things would not go well.

I'd rather nothing be ever proven -the slight possibility that something may be out there is thrilling; but on the other hand, if we knew for a fact that vampires and demons and werewolves were real, how much would we like it? It's like they say: be careful what you wish for. So if I had to choose, I'd choose a world with nothing paranormal in it. A coward's choice? Maybe...

Paranormal novels are an escape from reality. Reading Cat & Bones' adventures, crushing over Spade, being intrigued by Mencheres' mystery are parts of why reading your books is so... exhilarating. They remain that way because it's something we get to "live" through your heroes and heroines; but what if we were suddenly thrown into their world? Or we found out that they were very much real and walking in our world? Then thril turns to fear and I'm pretty sure your heroes would agree: they'd trade all their woes and adventures just to get to live a normal life, angst and pain free. Or as angst and pain free a normal life can be anyway...

So I'll keep my love for Fantasy exactly there: in a fantasy world, an alternate universe, and order my universe paranormal free thankyouverymuch.

Now, if a very human Spade happened to cross my path... I wouldn't turn him away ;)

Great first post - thanks for setting the bar so high for the rest of us (mild panic ensues).

I would love to know myself, but I wouldn't want the world to know. Someone else commented that being able to talk to vampires, hear history from people who were actually there, would be amazing and cool.

However, I don't think humanity as a general rule would deal well with knowing they existed (lets face it - we don't have much of a track record of dealing well with things different to us) and we could lose all the supernatural beings before we got the chance to enjoy them.

I wouldn't want it proved either way. I think I would rather it be kept in mystery so I could imagine that world however I want without it being incorrect. Imagine it being proved it does exist but everything you thought was the truth was wrong, or that the life isn't as glamorous or intriguing as previously thought. Then imagine it being proved wrong and all your hopes dashed and ruined. I think I will play it safe and keep all my blissfully mysterious and fantastical views on the supernatural than have them be ruined.

Jim Butcher said that one of the things he loved about what he wrote is that you could really imagine bumping into Harry Dresden on the streets of Chicago. If I knew 100% that there were no supernatural beings it would take that fun out of reading it.

Knowing 100% that that they were real would be interesting, because one of the other things I really like about the genre is seeing how difference authors get their supernatural creatures out of the closet.

TOTALLY BELIEVE IN THE PARANORMAL!!THERE HAS TO BE AN ELEMENT OF TRUTH IN ALL OF THE OLD MYTHS, LEGENDS, STORIES ETC.THOSE STORIES MAY HAVE BEEN CONTORTED AND CHANGED OVER TIME BUT I THINK THAT THERE IS AN ESSENCE OF BELIEVABILITY IN EVERYTHING.LOVE YOUR BOOKS AND THANKS FOR THE GREAT BLOGCHEERS

Where as sometimes i would say no just because it would take out the mystery and the excitement out of everything we read, taking away our different imaginations of everything. But if i had to choose i say YES i would want to know. To know about all the many worlds full of vampires, werewolves, faeries, and so many other thing. Wouldn't you want to know and explore all the many possibilities and know what everything is really like? To know they exist lets you know ANYTHING is possible and i LOVE that!

I would love to have it proved that they 100% DID exist! it would make life so much more interesting if there were things that "go bump in the night". If I did not love the supernatural, I wouldn't read a paranormal book a day!

I would rather want it 100% proved that paranormal creatures DIDN'T exist. coz I'm sure it will ruin all those Imaginary creatures that we read from books ! And we'll not 'believe' what has written on a book, e.g warewolves, vamps, Demons, anymore. Coz we can compare them with actual paranormal creatures IF we can prove them.

I'd love to know for sure that vamps, weres, ghosts and other supernatural creatures exist. Especially vamps! (But not zombies. They creep me out. If zombies exist, I'd rather not know and hope I never run into one!)I think the world would be a lot more boring if it could be proven that the supernatural world doesn't exist. Good thing it's impossible to prove the nonexistence of anything. Like I said, I'd love to know for sure, but I enjoy fantasizing too, and I'm not sure the reality could live up to the fantasies!

well, I like the vampyre/Dampyr sort of thing but I prefer they stay into bookpages. I mean, it's complicated when you have vampires or zombies of creatures of that sort around to make you crazy, don't you think?Life is just ccomplicated as it is without the monsters joyfully stepping into reality!

I would want to no 100% the DID exist! Why?!?!SO I can find a sexy vampire and make him turn me into a vampire!!! Only if the vampire's were like the ones in the Night Huntress series.Who wouldn't want to be a vampire if they were like the vampires in Jeaniene's books? They are perfect!